#but with the relationship between cairo and riley it doesnt make sense for riley to kill cairo at any point earlier (if at all)

[regrettable-username]

Okay so I've been thinking a lot about this and watt would actually slap as a slasher, so lets imagine it as one! Slashers tend to go one of two ways (I made up these terms btw idk if there are real ones or not):

Purity plot: murders least to most "pure" (this is the horny teens being killed with a virgin being last)

Revenge plot: murders least to most "guilty" (first victims seem kind of random or have barely done anything, later victims do worse and worse things to deserve being killed in the mind of the killer)

I made up murder/plot sequences for each type (Riley is still the killer in both). Assume both plots happen in the course of one night, as slashers do.

1 – Purity Plot:

Beginning is exactly the same. First Chess dies, followed by Farrah. Both are least "pure" due to their substance use. Their reasons for dying would also be the same as Riley justifies, but in this version Riley just goes down a spiral of unhinged anxiety that leads her to keep killing for less and less of an offense.

Next are Anneleigh and Clark, both for pissing Riley off for breaking the rules but also for being horny teens. They're murdered at the same time after their duet (or nearly the same time—maybe Clark is killed right after Anneleigh leaves but runs back when she hears him scream, and then the killer jumps out to get her too).

Next would probably be Kate for lgbtq reasons since Riley keeps trying to get practice going even though at least one body has definitely been discovered by now and Kate keeps trying to stop practice (like she does in act two). She sings a reprise of Skype Tomorrow (it will somehow fit idk) before getting murdered.

Surprise! In this version Eva joins the Tigers at the beginning of the show, but for the same reason (she gets a scholarship). She flirts with Kate at the beginning, who is conflicted since she's in love with Chess. Riley also gives the same awkward privilege speech. When it's time for her murder, Eva does her pretty much the same song (the vibes of "why did i join a murder squad????") and dies immediately after for lgbtq reasons for trying to leave and call the police.

Next up is Reese, who for some reason ends up alone and gets offed after some kind of reprise of Captain of the Team, both amping up her purity factor while possibly implying Riley thinks she wants to steal her role as captain.

Finally, we have Cairo and Mattie. I honestly can't decide what to do for them, since Cairo is definitely not "pure" compared to everyone else but gives the most potential as a final girl. Mattie is definitely the most "pure" but doesn't give a lot of final girl potential. Getting drunk and passing out could also get her easily killed earlier. But I think it would be really fun if Riley (and the audience) just straight up forgot about Mattie, and while Riley and Cairo are having their final girl stand-off (right after wallflower reprise) Mattie runs in and kills Riley herself, having observed everything that happened until then. Mattie and Cairo are the survivors.

2 - Revenge Plot

Murder victims in this type of plot start off with people that aren't necessarily bad, but once you know who the killer is you look back and think "oh yeah that kind of makes sense." So in this version, Kate is the first to die after Riley tells her to take a walk (since she pissed Riley off). In this version, Skype Tomorrow happens before Kate and Chess even enter the sleepover since it's too good a song to skip.

Next is Clark. Same reason and timing as the purity plot, but Anneleigh doesn't know.

Meanwhile, Reese does her solo and is murdered for the same reason as the purity plot (wanting to be captain).

Eva arrives with the pizza and is killed immediately. She's the first body discovered, and they realize she was from a rival cheer team (killed for being too good?)

Mattie is next to show up dead, but instead of having a murder scene someone just finds her body after she goes to throw up (Riley will later admit that she didn't kill Mattie, it was just a coincidence). Two dead bodies found in a row spurs an emotional Before the Breakdown-esque number (it just has to show up somewhere okay). Somehow they all split up after this despite it being very stupid.

Anneleigh goes back to the pantry and is killed when she finds Clark's body, for being the problem that brought him here in the first place and being fucking annoying to Riley. (Also—we're ignoring the "what if farrah slept with clark and god punished them" storyline. Instead it would be really cool to have a song about her conflicting relationship with faith).

Chess is killed next, both because she is one of the most "guilty" in Riley's eyes but also since Anneleigh just died some of the audience might think Farrah is the killer and that is fun mystery. Chess dies after she finds Kate's body (which she ran off to find once she realized she was missing for too long), and she is the first person to notice the (offstage) killer before dying (by shouting "you!!!" or something idk).

Farrah finds Reese's body, and has pretty much the same reprise of BtB as original. Riley enters, visible to the audience, and Farrah starts apologizing to her about everything. But it's not enough, and Riley still kills her. Cairo sees this but leaves before Riley notices her.

That means all we have left is Cairo, and its unclear if Riley actually wants her to live or not (I'm leaning yes). They passionately sing a Wallflower or is it a reprise?) as Riley realizes that Cairo knows she is the killer. When it ends, Cairo kills Riley. She is the only surivor.

That was way longer than necessary but so much fun to think about!! Obviously there are some holes and pacing issues but that's just the nature of watt (sorry preston ily) but I still think it works well. Lmk if yall have other thoughts, I would love to hear them!!!

we are the tigers but it's like your classic slasher movie where everyone dies except final girl cairo who has to kill riley